
Mrs. Rezan Kader, as part of the mission in the Veneto region
first, and then in Trentino Alto Adige, met today the Mayor of
Bolzano, Luigi Spagnolli.
Mrs. Kader has presented the official position of the Kurdistan
Regional Government and the situation of the region in the light of
recent events in Iraq.
The High Representative has informed Mayor Spagnolli that the
Presidency of the Kurdistan Region, had already alarmed the central
government in Baghdad of the danger posed by the ISIS rebels, who
were preparing to launch a major offensive in western Iraq.
The government of al-Maliki has failed to adequately represent all
parts of Iraq and never took seriously the threat from the ISIS
rebels. In this context, the peshmerga forces have been made
available to the defense of the Kurdistan Region, including those
areas of contention that the Kurdish people is protected and
guaranteed freedom and democracy.
In this frame, said Mrs. Kader, the support of the international
community is crucial, especially to deal with the humanitarian
emergency in progress.
The Mayor Spagnolli, expressed to Mrs. Kader strong concern over the
situation in Iraq, particularly the plight of Christians who fled
from the rest of Iraq.
The High Representative stressed that this new terrorist group
represented by the Islamic State can count on about 15,000
"soldiers" from 80 different countries and is organized as a real
state that can pose a threat to the entire international community
not only for the middle East area.
The Kurdish community in Bolzano, said the Mayor, who is well
integrated with the territory, enjoys respect and at the same time
there were not any episode of intolerance. In this context, Dr.
Spagnolli has undertaken to ensure that the community itself is
preserved and protected.
On 28 September, in Bolzano, the High Representative met with the
Kurdish community, which is considered the largest community in
Italy.
Mrs. Kader really wanted to meet the Kurds who for years have lived
in Bolzano in order to update them on the situation in Iraq,
particularly in the Kurdistan Region. Specifically, the High
Representative said that the Kurdistan Regional Government is active
in containing the advance of the Islamic State, and as far as trying
to address the plight of refugees in the Region. The government has
opened schools, hospitals, built refugee camps to provide the best
care to about one million refugees, and the Kurdish people
themselves are offering hospitality to his brothers, who are
Christians, Muslims, Yazidis and Arabs.
Mrs. Kader, to inform the community of meetings scheduled with the
city government.
The High Representative has also listened to the spokesman of the community in respect of any existing problems and ways of resolving them, ensuring that the Representation is available to support and sustain the Kurdish community in this difficult historical moment..